1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to rod pullers, and more particularly relates to hammermill rod pullers.
2. Background Information
A typical configuration of a hammermill is a large, rotating, cylindrical assembly, in which hammers, which are typically very heavy, are mounted to an assembly by one or more rods, which run the length of the cylinder and pass through holes. The hammers for some hammermills can weigh as much as 120 pounds each. The hammermill rotates at a rapid speed and material is fed toward the hammermill so that the hammers strike the material and break it into smaller pieces. Over time, the hammers must be replaced or repaired periodically because they become bent or worn. In order to remove the hammers of such a hammermill, one or more of the long, metal rods of the hammermill must be removed. These rods can typically be two to three inches in diameter. Since the hammers have performed work that causes them to strike heavy objects, the hammers themselves can be bent and the forces on the hammers can also cause the rods holding the hammers in place to be bent. This makes removing the rods very difficult and time consuming.
One method of removing the rods has been to use a drift pin and a sledgehammer to beat the rod out of the rotor of the hammermill. This involves a great deal of effort, is time consuming, and may result in damage to the end of the rod that is being pounded. Hydraulic means may also be utilized, but in such a case, the length of the piston stroke has been required to be at least equal to the length of the rod. This can be in excess of ten feet, and can be prohibitive in certain hammermill locations.
An additional consideration is that these hammermills are often mounted on a frame, and are transportable between jobsites. However, to be transportable, all of the components of the hammermill must be configured to be able to drive down the highway and not be a hazard to other vehicles or pedestrians. This is a problem with hydraulic rod pulling machines, since they can be quite long and unwieldy. A single stroke hydraulic rod puller is too long to transport, and must be dismounted and reassembled. For these reasons, it is an object of the invention to provide a mill rod puller that is made to a compact configuration, and which can, by the use of hydraulics, pull a mill rod from a hammermill. It is a further object of the invention to provide a mill rod puller that can remain mounted on the hammermill frame while it is configured for transportation.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.